Safety-guide for railway-cars



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. G. BLAU.

SAFETY GUIDE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

'No. 403,907. Patented May 28, 1889.

n. PETERS. Phnto-ulhogn her. Walbinghm. 0.4;

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. G. BLAU. SAFETY GUIDE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 403,907. Patented May 28. 1889.

N: PETERS. Mal-Menu in Washington. DJ;

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GODFREY BLAU, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY-G UIDE FOR RAI LWAY-CAFS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,907, dated May 28,1889.

Application filed December 20, 1887. Serial No. 258,535. (No model.)

To all 10/1/0772 it may concern:

Be it'known that 1, JOHN GODFREY BLAU, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Machine called a RailroadSafety-Guide, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for the purpose of preventing railroadpassenger-cars from leaving the track or derailing, and the severalparts of my invention, in combination, are dependent upon each other andmutually contribute to produce a single result; and the objects ofmyinvention are, first, to cover the rail with the flanges of aself-acting guideblock, which rests suspended upon a crossblock with ahandle connected thereto; second, to secure the exact elevation andproper adj ustment of said handle to a square-sided tube or socketforming part and being connected with the handle of the guide-holder;third, to hook said guide-holder to the so-called equalizingbar andbottom brace of the car-truck; fourth, to secure a strong fastening ofsaid guideholder by means of a fish-tail reverse-plate and lock-platejointly, the latter being provided with a bevel, upon which, inconnection, a screw with a flat-faced rim will cause a forward pressureand strong fastening. I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

. Which- .thereto in vertical line.

Figure 1, the guide-holder, represents a side view toward its rear,showing its tube or socket with guide-handle and guide-block attachedFig. 2, the guideblock, is a View in perspective, showing its sides andits bevel in blunted extended form. Fig. 3, the guide-handle, with itscross-block, is a vertical view. Fig. 4:, the fish-tail reverse-plate,is a rear view, when placed in position, showing its reverse or innerside. Fig. 5, the lock-plate, is a top view showing its bevel. Fig. 6,the screw-head, is a View indicating its position in connectiontherewith. Fig. 7 shows the device applied to a car-truck. Figs. 4 and 5placed on top of the handle of the guide-holder in Fig. 1 will show theentire machine in vertical line.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

The guide-block B, with its two flanges in parallel line and crescentform, at their base a I) cover the rail, and to act as aguide, a, theoutside flange is provided with a blunted extended bevel, G, (see Fig.2.) It is intended that its extended bevel shall slide over the rail ofa siding, particularly where such siding rail and main rail form a sharpangle, and be of sufficient depth in vertical line to be even orcorrespond to the base-line b of the inside flange of crescent of theguide-block, thereby securing a much-desired resistance of theguideblock on the outer rail. The use of said extended bevel, both endsof which are sufliciently elevated to pass over obstructions, will causethe guide-block a lifting or free motion over all sidings, while Z), theinside flange of the guide-block, being smooth, takes the inside ofrail, but both are sufliciently Wide apart to allow the free passage ofthe rail.

The guide-handle f, Fig. 3, with its crossblock R, its two acute angles,0 0, being blunted and of such form and shape as to exactly fill theupper cavity of the guide-block,

is passed through the-cavity of said guideblock from below, which saidguide-block will have a rest upon it, and in turn, by its two wardly ina diagonal line until they touch the sides of the guide-handle f, act asa balance and permit a slidingor up and down motion, by means of whichthe guide-block becomes self-acting and rests suspended over the rail,as shown in Figs. 1 and 7.

The guide-holder, Fig. 1, is one casting, showing its outer part invertical parallel form N N. Said parallel formis united in its center inhorizontal line by m, the upper parts of said parallel form to rightangles P P to a short extent, then terminate in obtuse angles in form ofhooks q q, the object thereof being for said guide-holder to rest andfasten on top of the equalizing-bar of the car-truck. To that part m inits center on reverse or inner side at right angles is connected a baror handle, S, extending in a horizontal line, which handle has on itsunder or reverse side, near its starting-point, in form of obtuse angle,a lug, t, provided, the object thereof being to permit said handle torest on top of the so-called bottom braceof the car-truck, on which saidlug is pressing and resting. The aforesaid handle verse-plate isprovided at both ends at right S has at its terminal end on its underside a square-sided tube or socket, E, provided, vertical but in linewith handle, and its narrow sides are a little shorter and a trifie moreapart, so as to leave the tube or socket halfopen at its sides, toreceive and to adjust the guide-handle f, in Fig. 3, after whichboth aresecured and fastened by a pin or rivet of softer metal. I

As regards the fastening of the guide-holder,

I refer to the fish-tail reverse-plate A, Fig. 4,

which is a casting or barplate, in form to exactly fill the vacant spaceexisting between the equalizing-bar and the so-called bottom brace/F andhas a notch, 00, in the center of its base-line to permit the passage ofhandle S of guide-holder in Fig. 1. Said fish-tail reangles with twoshort and square pieces, y y, of similar thickness, in fish tail form,of suflicient extent that its points either above or below will pressagainst the so-called equalizing-bar and bottom brace from within; butthe principal fastening is done by what is called the lock-plate W, Fig.5. Said lockplate is intended to secure a strong fastening of thefish-tail reverse-plate and guide-holder jointly to both theequalizing-bar and bottom brace. Said lock-plate is placed on top of thehandle S of the guide-holder .and immediately in the rear and center ofthe fish-tail reverse-plate, against which it is pressed, and isprovided at its widest end near or at its corners with two extendingprongs, 'v U, which, being square and in line of said plate, passthrough square holes h h in the fish-tail reverse-plate correspondinglyopposite. The said lock-plate at its other or narrow end has abevel,',z, and is to correspond in width to the handle of theguide-holder, each of which is provided with a screw holecorrespondingly opposite in diagonalline, through which provided with afiat-faced and'round extending rim, e, which in pressing against thebevel gives a forward pressureand strong fastening.

To make an additional fastening after the above forward pressure isgiven, a round hole, 0, is made through the center of lock-plate W andhandle S of guide-holder, Fig. 1, in vertical line, through which a pinis passed.

I am aware that prior to my invention pins, rivets, and screws have beenin use. I therefore do not claim them, broadly.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is- Y 1. The guide-block B, provided with the two diagonal braces g gand with the two flanges a b, the flange a being also provided withthelateral extension G, all substantially as set forth.

2. The guide-handle f, with its cross-block R, its two acute anglesbeing blunted at c 0, upon which the guide-block will rest,substantially as described.

3. The guide-holder N N, consisting of the plate m, having hooks q q, incombination with the horizontal handle or bar S, having the squaresocket E,and provided with the fastening-rivet and the lug if, allsubstantially as described.

4. The fish-tail reverse plate A, having square-sided notch win thecenter of its baseline, two short and square sides at right anglesextending in fish-tail form, y y, and two square holes, h h,correspondingly opposite the prongs of the lock-plate, all substantiallyJOHN GODFREY BLAU. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. J ONES, FREDK. SMITH.

